There aren’t enough stories about the good things happening in government. As a matter of fact, with the current presidential election circus, people may be left feeling that government has become a joke.
Well, I’m here to share some first-hand news to challenge your assumptions about government. Good work is happening out there and process improvement is alive and well. There is hope!
The Financial Business and Operations Division (FBOD) in King County, Washington recently won an award from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for their exemplary process improvement efforts. FBOD received the award for demonstrating innovation, efficiency and for implementing a Lean Six Sigma program focused on enhancing services for county customers and residents.
FBOD received the award for demonstrating innovation, efficiency and for implementing a Lean Six Sigma program
A Shining Example of Lean Six Sigma In Government
Both Ken Guy, the FBOD Director, and Eunjoo Greenhouse, the FBOD Deputy have been championing the continuous improvement effort within their 280+ person organization for 4 years now. Below are links to a video and an article detailing the award criteria.
- Article: Lean Initiatives Win Award From National Association of Counties
- Video: Lean Initiatives Win Award From National Association of Counties
Implementing process improvement in government can be more challenging than in the private sector for a variety of reasons which is why FBOD’s success is truly worth celebrating!
A Great Start To a Successful Lean Journey
This is just a brief introduction into the tangled web that government agencies have to wade through when trying to enact change for the better. Given these hurdles, it’s even more reason for celebration when a government agency like FBOD overcomes these obstacles, makes significant progress in applying Lean principles and succeeds with process improvement.
Congratulations Ken, Eunjoo and all the employees at FBOD for overcoming the barriers and making a difference in the lives of your constituents!